GORDON ANDERSON, QMI Agency

Former UFC welterweight champion George St. Pierre is officially backing 'King of Pot' Jimmy Cournoyer as he awaits trial in New York for trafficking marijuana.

St. Pierre wrote letter in support of Cournoyer and in it he highlights the positive aspects of Cournoyer's life outside the obvious illegality of his lifestyle.

"We had the time of our life together," he told the Montreal Gazette. "Jimmy became like a brother to me. We travelled together, trained together, we were going to restaurants together, clubs and having a lot of fun."

But for Cournoyer it's a lot more than just pot on his docket.

He also pled guilty to a conspiracy charge dating back to 1998, trafficking at least 100,000 kilograms of marijuana, 83 kilograms of cocaine, money laundering and he allegedly had ties to mafia boss Vito Rizzuto among other unsavoury characters.

Still, GSP thinks he's a good man and will be in his corner, so to speak.